According to the unions, they have more than half of support needed to legally take industrial action. On hearing this, BMA reportedly contacted police regarding the potential strike.

However, Emerald police officer-in-charge senior sergeant Graeme Reeves told the CQ News that no preventative measures have been taken as yet.

“It has been advised industrial talks were being conducted throughout the state in relation to BMA,” Reeves said.

BMA stated that the discussions with the combined unions have reached a standstill.

“The unions are pressing claims that would create major cost, productivity and competitiveness impacts for the business, as well as wanting to reintroduce a range of outdated industrial practices,” a BMA spokesperson said.

“As these are beyond reasonable expectations, discussions have the potential to extend for some time.”

The SBU is tallying its votes for industrial action and will soon determine its course of action.

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) robotics researchers say they have developed new technology to equip underground mining vehicles to navigate autonomously through dust, camera blur and bad lighting.